1. Field
This application relates generally to wireless communication and more specifically, but not exclusively, to presence-based communication.
2. Introduction
A wireless communication network is typically deployed over a defined geographical area to provide various types of services (e.g., voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) to users within that geographical area. In a typical implementation, access points (e.g., corresponding to different cells) are distributed throughout a network to provide wireless connectivity for access terminals (e.g., cell phones) that are operating within the geographical area served by the network.
As the demand for high-rate and multimedia data services rapidly grows, there lies a challenge to implement efficient and robust communication systems with enhanced performance. To supplement conventional network access points (e.g., macro access points), small-coverage access points may be deployed (e.g., installed in a user's home) to provide more robust indoor wireless coverage or other coverage to access terminals. Such small-coverage access points may be referred to as, for example, femto access points, femto cells, home NodeBs, home eNodeBs, or access point base stations. Typically, such small-coverage access points are connected to the Internet and the mobile operator's network via a DSL router or a cable modem. For convenience, small-coverage access points may be referred to as femto cells or femto access points in the discussion that follows.
Conventionally, a femto cell enables an access terminal to communicate with entities connected to a cellular network or to entities connected to a local area network (LAN). In the former case, the access terminal traffic is routed over the cellular network backhaul to core network entities that then forward the traffic to the specified destinations. In the latter case, the access terminal Internet Protocol (IP) traffic is routed over a LAN connected to the femto cell to other IP entities connected to that LAN.